Processes of formation and filling of a Mesozoic back-arc basin on the island of South Georgia

Storey, B.C.; Macdonald, D.I.M.. 1984 Processes of formation and filling of a Mesozoic back-arc basin on the island of South Georgia. In: Kokelaar, B.P.; Howells, M.F., (eds.) Marginal basin geology. Volcanic and associated sedimentary and tectonic processes in modern and ancient marginal basins. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific, 207-218. (Geological Society special publication, 16, 16).

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1984.016.01.16

Abstract/Summary

South Georgia contains a diverse suite of rocks representing different stages in the development of a back-arc basin on the Gondwana margin during the Mesozoic. Basin formation initially involved intrusion of large gabbroic plutons into deformed paragneisses and calc-alkaline rocks of a magmatic arc, and then extension of this crust by dyke emplacement. Partial melting of the metasediments formed a migmatitic aureole around the basic rocks. Rifting of this thinned continental crust led to the emplacement of mafic crust composed of lavas, dykes and plutonic gabbros with oceanic crustal characteristics. On an upper slope marginal to the arc, the mafic crust is overlain by a thinly bedded sequence of tuffs and mudstones deposited by turbidity currents. Overlying andesitic volcaniclastic rudites, deposited by debris flows, represent a major channel-fill sequence. The basin was filled by thick sequences of both arc-derived volcaniclastic sandstones and silicic detritus with a continental provenance. The volcaniclastic sediments form a fault-controlled aggrading system, deposited by high- and low-density turbidity currents in an elongate basin.

Item Type:	Publication - Book Section
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1984.016.01.16
ISBN:	0632010738
ISSN:	0305-8719
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	11 Jun 2019 09:01 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/523710

Item Type:

Publication - Book Section

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1984.016.01.16

ISBN:

0632010738

ISSN:

0305-8719

NORA Subject Terms:

Earth Sciences

Date made live:

11 Jun 2019 09:01 +0 (UTC)